Sign-up Bonuses That Post Quickest

Sign-up Bonuses That Post Quickest

When signing up for a new credit card, there is a process of being approved, receiving the card, spending the money to get the bonus, waiting for the statement to close and then finally earning the points.

Are there workarounds to earning your points quicker?

There sure are.

One method, which is hit or miss depending on the bank, is making up the statements closing date. This means, though, that you’ll have had to spend all that money within 20 days (or less). This can be challenging for some people.

So are there any other methods?

Alaska Airlines, personal and business

Both Alaska airlines credit cards award 25,000 bonus points upon approval (of $5,000 in credit or more). The points usually post within a week. It’s a great way to rack up points on a trip you need to take relatively quickly. Though there is no spend requirement, you need to pay the annual fee of $75. Canceling the credit card account after the miles post has been known to lead to clawbacks (when the bank/airline retracts your bonus). $75 is definitely worth last minute miles and the trip you’d take.

I applied for this card Jan. 12, and earned the bonus three days later on Jan. 15!

Hyatt

The Chase Hyatt credit card is one of the best hotel cards out there, offering two-nights at anyHyatt worldwide. The best use of these nights is at high end Hyatt’s can cost anywhere from $400 – $1,200 a night.

The spending requirement is also pretty small at $1,000. The best thing is that right after you spend your thousandth dollar, you’ll qualify to earn the bonus. Hyatt will usually post them to your account with 7 to 10 days after meeting that spend, even before the statement may close.

American Express Membership Rewards Bonuses

American Express issues Membership Reward bonuses on the following cards:

Premier Rewards Gold

Business Rewards Gold

Green Business Card

Green Personal Card

EveryDay Preferred

EveryDay

Platinum Personal

Platinum Business Card

Mercedes-Benz Platinum Credit Card

In my experience, they award the sign-up bonus within 5-10 days upon completing the required spend. However, the actual base points (so 1000 points for $1,000) can take 1 – 2 statements to post. Sometimes a bit longer, but that’s never been my experience.

Have you taken advantage of the quick posting times of the above cards and bonuses to travel?